Travel Notes|Second Stop—Suzhou (4 days)

When visiting Suzhou, I bought a transfer card with Ms. Douban. It was quite convenient. I picked up the card at the tourist service center near the Humble Administrator's Garden. There was also a gift to choose from.

Suzhou tourism mainly focuses on ancient towns and gardens. The Suzhou tourism article also has tickets for one yuan a day. There is also a transfer card . Buying tickets for one yuan is quite time-consuming and difficult to get, and I am the kind of person who likes to follow myself. People who want to play at a leisurely pace, so they chose the Zhuanzhuan card. Transfer cards are available for 236 yuan for 24 hours and 326 yuan for 48 hours, which include tickets for multiple attractions. It is recommended that friends who travel to Suzhou put Zhouzhuang and Tongli as their first and last stops, because these two ancient towns do not require tickets to enter the scenic spots at night. It is best to stay in the ancient towns to better experience the Jiangnan water town. The elegant ancient charm. Moreover, there will be a light show in Zhouzhuang at 7:30 every night to introduce the history and culture of Zhouzhuang. You can also take a stroll around the scenic area. While walking, you may also find the building sign of Shen Wansan, the richest man in Jiangnan. Of course, it is in a very inconspicuous place. I also saw this small corner while wandering around.

Video｜Zhouzhuang Story Light Show

Then there is accommodation. Like all tourist destinations, Zhouzhuang has a B&B in almost every household. There are nearly 200 B&Bs for tourists to choose from, and the prices are about 150. Of course, I am cheating. Okay, why don’t I summarize my experience for everyone? Because I didn't choose a good B&B, I encountered various problems. Especially the B&B in Tongli Ancient Town was so bad that I was so angry that I even called Ctrip to complain.

You can enter the Zhouzhuang Scenic Spot without buying a ticket. Unless you want to sleep in or go to bed early, you can enter the park directly before 7 a.m. or after 8 p.m. without a ticket. In summer, it is better to go earlier or later, so you don’t have to fight against the scorching sun. The sun is hot. I love sleeping in, but I wanted to save money more, so I took advantage of the time and took advantage of the opportunity to enter the scenic spot. The ancient town is suitable for taking pictures of people during the day and scenery at night. There are two kinds of beautiful scenery at both times. Of course, there are also cruise ships in Zhouzhuang. You can go there before ten o'clock in the evening, but you have to share a boat. It only took us two and a half hours to walk around the ancient town and take photos. We bought breakfast and went back to pack our luggage and go to the bus station to take the bus to Suzhou City. But we hurried and took the time because I was delayed and didn't make it in the morning. The eleven o'clock bus left, so I had to go back to the ancient town to pick up things and issue invoices and eat on the way.

I personally recommend the specialty products of Zhouzhuang: Sock-soled crisps and Grandma's tea. Sock-soled crisps are fragrant and salty, suitable for people like me who don't like sweets. They are delicious and not expensive. A bag costs about 8 yuan; Grandma's tea. It's scented tea, very fragrant, and costs twenty yuan a bag. It’s quite suitable for a stingy person like me to take it back and share it with everyone. Zhouzhuang also has a pretty good specialty - Aozao noodles, but it is more difficult to eat delicious and authentic Aozao noodles. I went to a small town in Kunshan City, far away from the Zhouzhuang Scenic Area. It was an ancient tower-like building with a first and second floor, but only the lobby on the first floor was open. Wherever I went to eat, almost all the people there were locals. , rarely see tourists, so it is a very authentic Aozao noodles. You need to order at the cashier at the door, and then use the ticket to pick up your meal at the food pick-up port in the lobby. When there are many people, you can only share seats or wait for a table.

The Humble Administrator's Garden was not the first garden we chose to visit, because after visiting many of them I was a little confused, but the camera has memory.

Video｜I waited for a long time with my camera in order to take a picture of this leaf

We set off from Zhouzhuang at noon and arrived at the B&B at around 2 p.m. Although it was a bit far from the scenic spot, it was OK. Taking a taxi was not expensive, with the starting price being less than ten yuan. We first go to the tourist service center near the Humble Administrator's Garden to get the transfer card. The one we bought is the 48-hour one. This 24 hours or 48 hours is calculated from the time when you swipe the card and use the transfer card to enter the park. The first garden we went to was the Lion Grove. As its name suggests, the Lion Grove is mainly filled with rockeries and rocks, and the courtyards and terraces are beautiful and quiet. Then there is Coupling Garden. Coupling Garden is a special garden located in the corner of the East Garden. We still spent a lot of effort to find it and asked people along the way. It is said that Coupling Garden is the house where Shen Bingcheng, the governor of Anhui Province, was discharged from his army and returned to his fields in the late Qing Dynasty. There is an unforgettable love story here for Shen Bingcheng. He and Yan Yonghua, a talented girl from Jiangsu and Zhejiang, stayed together for eight years. The park is very small and can be completed in half an hour, but it is very quiet and beautiful there, and it feels like you are far away from the hustle and bustle of the world. After visiting the Couple Garden, we went to Pingjiang Road Food Street.

Prices in Suzhou's scenic spots are very normal and can even be said to be friendly to the people. Maybe it's because I've been in Beijing for a long time that I feel this way. The food festival on Pingjiang Road in Suzhou is very good, and it gets extremely lively at 6pm. The antique attic courtyard with Jiangnan characteristics is deep in the rainy alley, and it is particularly charming under the bright yellow night lights.

Picture｜Pingjiang Road Cultural Sign

My bad friend actually said that this picture suggested being single, and I suddenly didn’t want to talk anymore. I just wanted to look at him coldly for fifteen seconds.

After a day of visiting Suzhou gardens, you will forget your fatigue when you are here. There are a lot of Internet celebrity food on Heping Road, and I went to Amu Chunji, a restaurant with a well-known wine and wine. Many regulars have lived in Suzhou for a long time. They go to their house to eat every now and then. There is a very fat and cute Ke Ke in the store. Gee, it is a favorite among all diners.

Picture | The mellow aroma of wine in the deep alley - Amu Spring

Picture｜I saw a warm family of three while strolling around on Pingjiang Road after dinner

Video｜Suzhou Ancient Canal Night Tour Scenery

We rushed to enter the park before 8:30, because our reserved admission time was 7:30-8:30. Fortunately, there is a visitor center at the entrance of the Humble Administrator's Garden, where we can have a good rest and bring the breakfast and Go shopping after eating the fruit. There was an embarrassing episode in the middle. It was because I would have diarrhea after eating an apple in the morning. As expected, I looked around for the bathroom soon after eating it, and it took me a long time to find it. It took us a whole morning to visit the Humble Administrator's Garden. The Humble Administrator's Garden is very large and crowded. It is the most crowded garden I have ever visited in Suzhou. There are many special features of the Humble Administrator's Garden. The one that impressed me the most is the glazed windows, which have a kind of beauty that combines Chinese and Western styles. After visiting the Humble Administrator’s Garden, I had lunch in a nearby restaurant and then set off for the Lingering Garden.

Compared with the Humble Administrator's Garden, the Lingering Garden is much cleaner. You can carefully observe every scene. I chose to travel during the off-season, so naturally I wanted to take a good look at the scenery. We chose the earliest time period to go to the Humble Administrator's Garden. , also to be able to take pictures and enjoy the scenery. The quietness of Liuyuan has become my favorite yard. Coupled with the hot summer sun and the water vapor sprayed on the eaves and pergola, it makes people even more comfortable.

Although the Hanfu we wore was light and breathable, the long sleeves were always warm. When we arrived at Panmen, we finally couldn’t bear it any longer and changed out of the Hanfu. It felt much cooler instantly. Of course, the next part of the Master of the Nets Garden was just for sightseeing. I was too hot and tired to take pictures. Moreover, the two gardens Panmen and Master of the Nets Garden at the back are very small and not very interesting to visit.

After visiting the gardens for two days, I personally recommend the Humble Administrator’s Garden, the Lion Grove Garden and the Lingering Garden. Those popular gardens and Suzhou Museum that I didn’t have the opportunity to visit can only be seen next time. Friends who have been there can also tell me. Let me take your feedback as a reference.

Picture | Big and small inscriptions, comparison is hurtful

The evening cruise is also included in the transfer card. You can go before 8:30 in the evening. It runs every half hour and the cruise takes 40 minutes. People like me who have no concept of time will naturally choose the last one at 8:30. Of course, I may occasionally go earlier. On the cruise ship, there were introductions about the origins of the scenery along the way, and a young lady played and sang on the pipa. She sang Suzhou songs, but unfortunately I couldn’t understand them. But music has no borders, so I can probably understand the meaning.

We returned to the inn to pick up our luggage at 9:30, and it was already past 11 o'clock when we took the bus to the hotel near Hanshan Temple. I got up around seven in the morning and went to Hanshan Temple. There were many local tour guides outside the temple. Of course, if you want to hear the stories in Hanshan Temple, you can do that. It’s not expensive, about fifteen yuan, but I didn’t listen to the stories. In my mood, I just want to see the scenery. Hanshan Temple is very popular and attracts many tourists. There is a stone carving wall in the temple, as well as inscriptions with poems by famous people. You can also ask the local tour guide to tell the historical stories and legends inside. When we came out of Hanshan Temple, we met a seemingly kind-hearted staff member. He took us to a small shop outside the temple. At first, he said that a master was giving a lecture and suggested that we listen to it. He also said that we could ask the master to give a lecture. We did the math and found out that there was no charge. Later, we said that we would give some money for incense to get connected with Buddhism. Unfortunately, we were clear-headed and were not fooled. He took us to the store and left. When we found out that it was fishy, ​​we told the clerk that we didn't want to spend money and left.

Picture | The pagoda in Hanshan Temple, tourists are not allowed to enter

Hanshan Temple is very close to Tiger Hill, four or five kilometers away. Tiger Hill is a small hill. At the foot of the hill there is a story about the general Moye forging swords, and on the hill there is an ancient leaning pagoda. There are many local tour guides outside the ticket gate of Tiger Hill, but climbing the mountain in Tiger Hill should be more expensive than Hanshan Temple. I am used to being free and easy. If I want to listen to stories, I will buy an electronic tour guide for one dollar, or go on the road. Take advantage of other people's tour guides. In fact, I also discovered that the tour guide’s bowl of rice was not very delicious. Those tour guides memorized the stories of every scenic spot in Tiger Hill, including the stone in the pool, every inscription and the words on the inscription. , and also tell everyone in a precise, cadence and full of emotion. By the way, I would like to tell you that the terrain of Huqiu is a bit remote, so it is not easy to take a taxi and it is difficult to send a taxi to the driver.

Picture | Leaning Tower of Yunyan Temple in Huqiu

We ended our trip to Tiger Hill around 12 o'clock in the morning, no, we ended our two-day trip to Suzhou gardens. After a quick lunch at noon, we returned to the hotel to pack our bags and headed to Tongli Ancient Town. We chose a quick and convenient taxi ride there, which cost us more than 60 yuan. It was less than 4 o'clock when we arrived at Tongli Ancient Town. You can enter and exit the scenic area freely after 5 o'clock without tickets. The transfer card we bought expires at 4:10, so we must swipe the card to enter the park before 4:10. Because we don’t want to wait until after five o’clock. After all, we paid for it, so we don’t have to feel like we’re wasting money. It happened that the B&B we rented was in the scenic area, and cars could not enter the scenic area, so we had to drag our suitcases all the way there. The reason why it was so miserable was because the roads in Tongli Ancient Town were all uneven bluestone roads, which tortured me. suitcases, feeling extremely sorry for them. These two new suitcases carry everything I have. I am both distressed and worried. There are still several stops ahead where I need their company. But fortunately, my suitcase is of high quality and I have been tortured without any problems. Friends who want to visit Tongli Ancient Town for a few days and want to stay in the scenic area can hire a rickshaw at the entrance of the scenic area, because that’s what I used when I left. It only costs 15 yuan, which saves me from having to drag it around by myself. .

Picture | I was riding a rickshaw when I left Tongli. This guy worked very hard. Fifteen yuan is really hard to earn.

Tongli Ancient Town has a greater advantage than Zhouzhuang in that it is less commercialized. Tongli is more simple and authentic, and there are relatively few people, making it more suitable for walking and taking photos. There is no ticket required after 5 pm and you can enter and exit the park freely. There are no special specialties in Tongli. The locals eat common delicacies in Suzhou and Hangzhou, such as wontons, steamed dumplings, pan-fried vegetables, etc.

In two days in Tongli Ancient Town, two very bad things happened. It was very sad, but the most fearful thing about traveling is that some unpleasant things affect the mood of playing. Fortunately, I have a good mentality and have always been accustomed to doing my own thing. People can't influence me at all, so I won't pay attention to them.

Travel episode

Because it was still early, I changed into Hanfu after arriving at the B&B in the ancient town and went out to take pictures. When I was in Tuisiyuan, I met an uncle playing a SLR. Here I would like to remind girls who are traveling not to trust anyone's words. Your good words will become the motivation for the other party to make further progress. At that time, I thought it was just a matter of taking a photo for someone, and it would only take a few minutes, so after getting the permission of my friend who was traveling with me, I cooperated with the uncle to take the photo for a long time. Finally, after I repeatedly insisted not to take pictures, we separated. When we separated, the SLR uncle said he would wait for me at the exit. I just nodded, but I didn't dare to go look for him. After all, we met by chance and we didn't know each other. Later, when we left Tuisiyuan and were eating at a food stall, the uncle called us via WeChat again. At first, I ignored him and didn’t answer it, but he kept calling, ten calls a minute. I couldn't bear it anymore, so I deleted his WeChat directly after I sent him a message. This matter lasted until the next morning when we were about to leave Tongli. I deeply realized that enemies often meet on a narrow road, cannot be too true. We met the SLR uncle again while taking pictures. He took a few more photos of me, but we ignored him. Instead, he said sourly that he was looking for me last night because he wanted to tell me about my photos. Just like when he took pictures of me yesterday, he said that I used my mobile phone to take pictures, but I didn't explain to him that I brought a mirrorless camera, just like I didn't later. Treat him the same, because some people are not worth the energy I spend raising my eyelids. When we left, he said he had sent my photo to my email. I don’t know if he sent it or not. Anyway, I haven’t received any photos so far. I will learn from it and I will take beautiful photos myself. What he took may only be suitable for the aesthetics of his era.

That day happened to be the Chinese Valentine's Day, and Tongli Ancient Town held a Chinese Valentine's Day Lantern Festival. Unfortunately, we couldn't find a Hanfu exchange group. We walked around until after 10 o'clock in the evening, and then returned to the B&B with tired bodies but still full of interest and curiosity. When we were taking a shower, we suddenly discovered that there was no hot water in the room. We communicated with the landlord until after 11 o'clock, but no solution was found. Finally, Don't let it go. In desperation, we had no choice but to go to the empty room next door to wash up. But the next day after we checked out, my aunt went to clean the room and saw her. The landlady even sent a WeChat message to scold me and submitted a request on the Ctrip platform. We pay 280 yuan for the accommodation fee for another room. In the end, the matter was ended with the mediation of customer service . That night we were almost kicked out by the landlord because he never solved the hot water problem for us. We were also annoyed with the landlord, and she got very angry and asked us to move out immediately. Hey, when you are away from home, how can you be so miserable! Fortunately, Ctrip has 24-hour customer service staff to help with adjustments, so we were spared the pain of having to eat and sleep in the open. I have to admire the professionalism of the customer service staff, full of praise

August 25th, the Chinese Valentine's Day, I will remember this beautiful but cruel day. Two unpleasant things happened to me on the same day.

When going to Jiangnan gardens and ancient towns, it is very suitable to wear Hanfu or ancient-style clothing. It is very photogenic, can be very artistic, and can also be very interesting. For example, we met a family of three tourists who dressed up in ancient costumes and took photos together as emperors, queens and princesses in a small photo studio in the ancient town. It was a happy and wonderful time for the children‍.

Picture | A bus stop that announces the distance of the next bus

Suzhou is a tourist destination worth visiting. It can make people calm down and get closer to it step by step. Especially the bus stops in Kunshan, Suzhou, are painted purple. I can’t capture the specific number of bus stops on my phone, so I’m sorry~